Radiant Barrier Attic Temperature

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Radiant barrier attic temperature. When your attic stays cooler the hvac unit or ducts will be able to keep your home comfortable without using excessive amounts of electricity. This is really what drives heat flow the top surface temperature of the insulation. Black asphalt roof shingles absorb over 90 of the radiant heat that strikes them making them easily over 170 degrees on a hot summer day. A cooler attic space means less heat moving to the cooler space below the attic.

The best way i have seen to describe this effect is it s like putting your home or office under a shade tree. Benefits of radiant barrier sheathing when utilizing osb radiant barrier sheathing you can reflect up to 97 of solar radiation which translates into an attic heat reduction of up to 30 f. It can easily be 120º or more even if the air temperature is only 100º. Some studies show that radiant barriers can reduce cooling.

Radiant barriers are more effective in hot climates than in cool climates especially when cooling air ducts are located in the attic. Just make sure the ceiling is airtight and fully insulated and the temperature in the attic doesn t matter much. If you install a radiant barrier it will drop the surface temperatures inside the attic compared to the air temperature in the attic. On any given hot day the temperature on shingles can range from 160 to 190 so the slight increase from the barriers are insignificant and does not quicken the degradation of your shingles.

Radiant barriers may increase the temperature of your exterior roofline on a hot summer day by 2 to 5 as it reflects the sun s rays from entering into the attic but it will not cook your shingles. Radiant barriers are made of aluminum and designed to reflect radiant heat from the sun. The hotter it gets the better radiant barriers work. Radiant barriers cook shingles truth.

When installed properly radiant barriers can reflect up to 95 of the radiant heat off the attic. Whether you use it in a crawl space radiant floor attic or walls you ll find it easy to handle and install. This is all engineered to help reduce energy consumption and save you money. Ideally the best case scenario is one in which you have a radiant barrier installed and your attic air temperature measures within 10 degrees of outside air temperature if not the same as ambient temperature.